DrNiamh Mundell

I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Deakin University, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, an ESSA Fellow, and Vice President of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA). I have spent more than 20 years working as an allied health clinician and am proud to be recognised among the world's top 1% of exercise experts by Expertscape.

My career has been driven by a simple belief: access to effective, evidence-based exercise care should not depend on where a person lives, what they earn, or how well they can navigate the complexities of a healthcare system. I am passionate about improving the way healthcare systems work so that more people can benefit from the life changing impact of exercise physiology.

I lead a program of translational health systems research focused on integrating exercise physiology into routine healthcare delivery. My work sits at the intersection of implementation science, health services research, and workforce innovation, where I develop and evaluate practical, scalable models of care that improve access to allied health services while strengthening the sustainability of the healthcare workforce.

Alongside my research, I contribute to national leadership, policy, and workforce development through my role as Vice President and Board Director of ESSA. I have also served on Medical Research Future Fund Grant Assessment Committees, the Heart Foundation Blueprint for an Active Australia Healthcare Advisory Panel, the European Science Foundation College of Expert Reviewers, and the Research Foundation Flanders Review College. These roles allow me to help shape the future direction of allied health research, practice, and policy both in Australia and internationally.

My research focuses on one of the most important challenges facing modern healthcare systems: how we ensure evidence-based exercise interventions reach the people who need them most.

While the benefits of exercise for chronic and complex health conditions are well established, too many people still face barriers to accessing exercise physiology services. My research moves beyond asking whether interventions work and instead examines how they can be embedded into everyday healthcare practice. I am particularly interested in understanding how exercise physiology can be integrated into coordinated models of care that are sustainable, scalable, and capable of reaching populations that have traditionally been underserved.

My work spans emergency care, community health, telehealth, chronic pain, cancer survivorship, mental health, and healthy ageing. A defining feature of my research is its strong focus on implementation and translation. For example, my research evaluating telehealth-delivered exercise physiology services informed national professional advocacy during and following the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed evidence supporting more equitable access to allied health care.

I have authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, secured competitive research funding, supervised and mentored emerging researchers and clinicians, and delivered more than 100 presentations to professional, community, and academic audiences. My contributions have been recognised through appointment as a Deakin University Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ESSA Fellowship, selection as a Science Meets Parliament delegate, scholarship support through Science Meets Parliament, and runner-up recognition in the ESSA Activate Early Career Researcher Award.

Healthcare systems around the world are facing rising rates of chronic disease, growing health inequities, workforce shortages, and increasing pressure on acute care services. I believe allied health, and exercise physiology in particular, has a critical role to play in addressing these challenges.

My research is driven by a commitment to ensuring that effective exercise-based care is not only proven in research studies but is routinely available to the people who need it most. By developing and evaluating models that improve referral pathways, strengthen integration across care settings, and support workforce sustainability, I aim to help create healthcare systems that are more equitable, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of patients and communities.

Ultimately, my goal is to help transform how healthcare is delivered, ensuring that exercise physiology becomes a routine and valued part of integrated care pathways, improving health outcomes while supporting a stronger and more sustainable health system for the future.